WCS drops CFCA soccer

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on March 15, 2011 1:47 PM

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One single communication breakdown proved costly for the Wayne Christian girls' soccer team Monday afternoon.

And Cape Fear Christian capitalized.

The visiting Eagles scored the game's lone goal in the 31st minute and protected their advantage in a 1-0 triumph on the Carolina Christian 1-A Conference scene. The outcome did count toward the league standings and the teams meet again April 18 in Erwin.

"I don't think we played one hundred percent, that's my opinion," said WCS head coach Daryl Anderson. "(We) were flat the whole game, kind of in slow motion. I don't know what our problem was because the first two games we weren't like that."

Cape Fear (1-1-0 overall) had the better possession in the opening half. Defenders Lindsey Newton and Elizabeth Gilliam consistently disrupted Wayne Christian's attack, and re-directed balls toward the visitors' goal on numerous occasions.

Anderson's team fired just two shots in the first half.

"Their number 10 (Gilliam) and number 11 (Newton), they're pretty good soccer players," said Anderson. "They knew what to do with the ball, recognized where to pass it to (and) when to pass it. They ran that team from the back.

"We needed some leadership in the midfield."

Wayne Christian (1-2-0, 1-1-0 CCC) also failed to talk in its last defensive third.

Cape Fear worked the ball into the penalty area and a shot got stopped just inside the 6-yard box. Instead of clearing the ball, Anderson's team let it sit untouched and Kate Upshaw blasted a right-footed shot inside the far post.

"My goalie and sweeper have to talk," said Anderson. "They did a much better job in the second half after we talked it about at halftime. They've got to pass the ball to one our players, preferably."

WCS attempted three second-half shots and Cape Fear Christian goalie Kala West collected two saves between the pipes. Anderson said his team avoided getting bunched up and used space well, but hurried their offense and struggled to connect passes on a consistent basis.

Courtney Barrow had five saves for WCS.